1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of animated displays. More particularly, the invention comprises methods and apparatus for incorporating an animated display into a variety of useful articles such as shoes and other items of apparel, watchbands, pens, etc.
2. Prior Art
Shoes with flashing lights have recently become popular, particular with children. Such shoes are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,009 issued to Rodgers. These shoes typically have one or a few light emitting diodes (LEDs) that flash intermittently as the wearer of the shoe walks or runs. A somewhat more elaborate device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,900 issued to Roy. In this patent, a shoe includes an array of LEDs that are switched on and off in a non-random fashion so as to display a two-dimensional graphic image when the shoe is moved through a step.
Animation is an art form that can be traced back to ancient Greece. Animation relies on the persistence of vision of the human eye to integrate a sequence of discrete images so that they are perceived to show continuous movement. Animated motion pictures and the like display successive images at the same physical location. The display of successive images in an animated sequence at laterally displaced locations has been proposed for use with moving vehicles. Displays of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 917,587 issued to Good, U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,731 issued to Arendt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,064 issued to Sollogoub, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,529 issued to Gandia and U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,742 issued to Brachet, et al. In these systems, successive images are illuminated at a rate determined by the speed of the moving vehicle so that an observer on the vehicle sees an apparently stationary animated display.
The present invention comprises a lateral animation display. xe2x80x9cLateral animationxe2x80x9d refers to an animation technique whereby individual images in an animated sequence are displayed sequentially at laterally displaced locations. The display may be carried on a useful article, such as an item of wearing apparel or the like.
In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a shoe with an integral animated display. An array of light sources is disposed within the shoe. A corresponding array of image frames depicts a stop-action sequence, such as stop-action images of a person running. An optional array of baffles confines light from each of the light sources to a corresponding one of the image frames. The individual light sources are sequentially activated so as to sequentially illuminate the corresponding image frames and thereby present an animated display of the stop-action sequence.
Other embodiments of the invention incorporate lateral animation displays with a watchband, a pen, a backpack strap and similar useful articles.